I thought I'd write a song about how I have tended to just go through the many changes in my life somewhat oblivious of the disarray that I have left in my wake......metaphorically speaking, of course.

I pulled out a harmonica for this tune and had WAY too much fun....you can blame @Chris Spruit for that.....she had to go and post those excellent blues tunes. I was blowing pretty hard on this one. That is what always got me in trouble in the past, depending on the gig, the musicians and how much beer was flowing.

This mix is pretty much just thrown together so far and needs lots of work. I figured I'd put it up for comment and suggestions while I work things out. You know that rule about how you should never have more than three elements playing at one time in a mix? Yeah.....I don't know that rule either.

There's trouble enough behind meAnd trouble up aheadI should have stayed back there in trafficOr stayed home in bedI've got trouble and toil and tears and strainWhen all I ever wanted was a passing laneHere's what I'm thinking Tell you what I'm gonna doI'm gonna hot rod this Lincoln And muscle right throughThen look in my rear view mirrorAt the wreckage I left behind

Yes there's trouble of every kind up thereAnd it's messin' with my headIf I don't find a way throughI could end up deadI guess I've been spoiled 'cause I've always foundThat what I didn't want to deal with I could always drive aroundBut this time it's different I've got no choiceI've got my foot on the gas And I'm gonna make some noiseThen look in my rear view mirrorAt the wreckage I left behind

INSTRUMENTAL

There's trouble on this highwayAnd no way I can turnIf I try to stop nowI'm gonna crash and burnSo I'll tighten up this seat belt and find another gearAnd hope the road up ahead is open and clearI'm gonna hard nose this road In this hot rod fordAnd keep my foot right in it Til the lake pipes roarThen look in my rear view mirror At the wreckage I left behind

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"The main thing is to have a gutsy approach....but use your head." Julia Child

"In a world of robotic conformity, the only originality left in music is the imperfections" Eric Craptone

"Special thanks to Steve Gleason for making me who I am today." Leonard Scaper

Great start @Leonard Scaper - I'm loving the contrast between the bridge and verses.

I'm not sure about the metre of the first line of verse one and two, they seem a bit cramped compare to the beginning of verse three that seems to flow better. This is particularly important for the first verse as you are straight in with a lyric. The first line of verse three just seems to fall better to my ears.

In certain parts of the song you are adding a few extra syllables into the metre that seem to work OK as you are in mid-flow, but I think the beginning of the verses need to settle the listener in, so to speak. To help them relax into the story. I'm not sure if I'm just over-thinking this lol - but something to ponder. It general it reminds me of the wordplay of some of the Dire Straights songs.

There's trouble enough behind meI I I I I I I I

Yes there's trouble of every kind up thereI I I I I I I I I I

There's trouble on this highwayI I I I I I I

Also I wonder if

But this time it's differentI've REALLY got no choice

might push home the fact that this time it really is different, you can't just steer around, there are going to be consequences of your actions.

Thanks guys....I was stewing a bit about this one. It came together so quickly that I just kind of went with the flow.

@Dutchbeat .......I cut the song up in the studio last night and moved the bridge to see how it worked. It just didn't have the effect I wanted. I like how that full stop after the first instrumental creates some tension that resolves unexpectedly into that different bridge. Thanks for that idea, though. And thanks for your appreciation of that harp......I get nervous when I start blowing hard like that.....I tend to lose my perspective a little for the rest of the song.

@smajor ....... yeah, the bridge.....funny thing is that while I really liked it musically I had no idea what I wanted to say there until I was doing final vocals and tape was rolling. I definitely winged it with those bridge lyrics. That "snuggled" idea is a good one. It would have kept me from repeating "stayed".

@MrBouzouki .....I know what you mean about the lyrics. It got pretty wordy on paper and I was struggling right up to the tracking session with the presentation. As it is what was scribbledon paper got changed quite a bit during tracking. I don't usually have that much to say in my songs......this time I just tried to spew it all out and still get home on time (so to speak).

Nice @Leonard Scaper The song does call for a harmonica and it sounds good. When I try recording harmonica it always sounds shrill so I try to stay on the lower register notes, but blues does seem to like the higher register notes for more of a cry.

hey @Vince ......you're right about how those higher notes. That's why I was a bit nervous about just blowing them out like that....it is a bit shrill. I was thinking about shrieking tires as I drove through the wreckage.

Hello hello, there's quite a bit of blues on here at the moment. Well done for adding a treatment onto a classic blues idea that makes the whole thing sound quite a bit different. And more modern somehow - probably achieved by the interesting guitar work, which is a bit more subtle than many old blues songs.

Interesting theme that, bit brutal in some ways, so blues can be an uncompromising vehicle to carry such a topic.

I'd not heard that 'Get Busy Living' song either, which came up next on your feed. Pretty nice one that, especially the repetitive solo section, really nice music there. Cool, sorry I missed it!

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If you like novels with a musical theme, why not try 'Sixth Beatle - When Music Changed The World', easily found on Amazon and Google. It is amazing, although as the author I may be biased!

Hey @MichaelA ......great to see you! I never thought of myself as a blues guitarist and I guess that shows in this tune. There's nothing very bluesy about that bridge, for instance.

I once saw the inimitable Taj Mahal playing with his huge band. He sat up there on a chair and picked away at his Mississippi National Steel Guitar while a stage full of blues cats rocked hard around him. That influenced me. Check out a tune called "You're Gonna To Need Somebody On Your Bond" off his "The Real Thing" album.

Thanks for checking out that other tune as well. Hope you are doing some music yourself.

Hey @Leonard Scaper I checked out that tune, pretty damn fab. It is here by the way, anyone else! . I love how that Big Band sound is integrated into a traditional bluesy vibe, and a great vocal too. I must check out more of that guy, classic stuff, cheers!

This song reminds me that I love harmonica. You use it well here. Harmonica is also a good instrument choice for a song with the theme you explore in the lyrics. Leaving things behind, wreckage and all, and a little harmonica blast as you head on down the road. Cool song.

@Andrew Jezmund .....thanks for listening and for your appreciation. I'm glad that harp works for you. This song really screamed out to me for a harp that was played on the edge like that and I did worry that I took it too far.